Stargate: Return of the Ancients, Season 1, Ep 17
by Aer-ki Jyr
Summary: Episode, "Subterfuge"
1. Chapter 1

Malek, Delek, Korra, Mingala, Sina, and Per'sus arrived through the stargate onto a stone platform that had been constructed beneath and around the device. The dirt path leading from it to the Jaffa city was gone…in its place was smooth stone the color of aqua outlined with meter and a half tall pillars of what looked like crystal that reflected the overhead sunlight.

The six Tok'ra had arrived beneath dark brown cloaks, of which only Mingala removed, revealing her Scully-esk visage.

"_We are the Tok'ra_," she said, announcing their identity to the gate guard. "_We have come to speak with Lord Bra'tac_."

"_You are expected_," the lead Jaffa confirmed, his forehead bearing the mark of Ba'al. Neither he nor the other guards had yet earned their new symbiots. "_Jaffa!_" he ordered.

Four of the guards flanked the Tok'ra and escorted them up the long path into the city, bypassing the nearby ring platform and taking the 'scenic' route between the multiple spires of the sprawling Ancient-inspired city.

"_Most impressive_," Per'sus commented to his fellow Tok'ra.

"_I concur_," Delek grudgingly offered. He had been one of the strongest voices against this meeting, but Anise had not heeded his counsel. "_The architecture is far beyond anything the Jaffa would have inherited from the Goa'uld, though I do detect a hint of their influence in the design._"

"_High praise_," Mingala jibbed.

Delek bristled. "_I only mean to suggest that this is not of their own doing. They have indeed allied with a stronger power_…_which makes them even more dangerous_."

"_Bite your tongue, Delek_," Malek whispered to him from behind. "_We are not alone_."

"_I was not asked to come only to be silent_," Delek argued. "_My voice will be heard_."

"_Then at least wait until we arrive_," Malek pleaded.

"_As you wish_," Delek relented.

The party passed between the nearest of the skyscraping spires where the ornate pathway ended and the city streets began. The Jaffa escort did not break pace and continued to lead them along the very wide passages. Sparse, yet frequent Jaffa traffic passed between the buildings, of which there were no above ground connecting conduits, but Per'sus expected at least some sort of subsurface interconnected network. It would only be practical, given Dakara's arid climate…or perhaps the Jaffa saw such things as frivolous and unbecoming of a warrior.

Sina glanced at one of the Jaffa on their left as they crossed paths. She nudged Korra with her elbow through her robe. "_That one has no mark_."

"_I believe you are correct_," he said, not comprehending. "_Curious. Perhaps he was born free of the Goa'uld and was never branded_."

"_He once was_," the fore/left guard said, but did not adjust his gaze, "_but his old mark has been replaced with another…one that only Jaffa may see_."

"_How interesting_," Per'sus offered. "_Thank you for the information_."

"_Is there anything else you wish to know?_" the Jaffa asked boldly.

"_Yes_," Mingala spoke up, though she probably shouldn't have based on Delek's disapproving glance. "_Who has built all of this?_"

"_The Jaffa have_. _Who else?" _the guard asked as if she were stupid.

"_I mean no offense_," she placated, "_but the Goa'uld did not allow the Jaffa to learn the science necessary to create such things_."

"_Lord Bra'tac knows how. He has provided machine laborers to fill the void until he teaches us the magics of which you speak_."

"_Magic?_" Delek asked irreverently. "_You still believe in such things, even after the Goa'uld are defeated and their lies laid bare for all to see?_"

"_I know not how my staff works_," the Jaffa said, seeming to take no offense, "_and I need not know. The inner workings of the device are magic to me…the use of the device is not_," he said with just the barest hint of a threat.

"_Even I can feel the magic of this place_," Sina offered, half serious. "_It is a truly amazing city_."

"_It is one of seven on the planet…with many more being built_," the Jaffa said in typical monotone.

"_Seven?_" Per'sus asked, surprised. "_You build quickly, my friend_."

"_The Alterra have been generous_," the Jaffa felt obliged to offer. "_We owe them much…and through our service to Lord Bra'tac we will repay them_."

"_Your service is not completely voluntary then?_" Per'sus asked.

The Jaffa turned to look into Per'sus' hood with the first sign of emotion from his previously blank face. "_We will never again be slaves, Tok'ra. Not to the Goa'uld…and not to you._"

"_What of_ t_he Alterra?_" Delek prodded.

"_We are honored to serve…but we do so of our free will. In our service we are united as we have never before been_."

"_Surely they must have some hold over you?_" Delek pressed. "_Do you not require new symbiots…or at least the Tretonin that now sustains most Jaffa_."

"_Those with symbols laid bare require your drug…but those with symbiots require nothing. They are truly free, as I shall soon be_."

"_I see_," Delek said patronizingly. "_What is the delay?_"

"_The Alterra gifted us with a single symbiot, from which all others will multiply. Only those most worthy have received the first few…the rest of us must wait until our time_."

"_I am interested in this new symbiot_," Sina interrupted. "_Does it mature like a normal symbiot?_"

"_It does_."

"_Must it not then be replaced?_"

"_No. When it reaches maturity it will split in two, sustaining yet another Jaffa_."

"_Incredible_," Sina all but whispered. "_Is it truly alive?_"

"_I have never seen one_," the Jaffa admitted. "_You must ask Lord Bra'tac_."

Delek grunted, but said nothing. Malek eyed him and slowly shook his head.

"_This way_," the Jaffa said as they approached one of the central spires that rose twice as high as the rest. These were golden, as opposed to the silver streaks that rose around them…but here and there one could see traces of red in the design. The door controls, for example, were inlaid in red panels that melded nicely with the design aesthetic. The Tok'ra's intelligence reports indicated little about this new Jaffa nation, but one tidbit that had reached them was that their signature color was indeed red. The subtle markings in the city seemed to confirm this point.

The other three Jaffa remained outside while the one that had spoken to the Tok'ra lead them inside the spire…where the red motif nearly overwhelmed them. Whereas outside the silver and gold ruled supreme, inside was the reversal. Red predominated with golden inlay on the control panels and ornamentation.

They emerged into a large, very high ceilinged atrium surrounding a central pillar that rose up half the distance where it then spat a thin column of white fire straight up, with the flames nearly licking the peaked ceiling. It was a monument of some sort, but its significance escaped the Tok'ra.

"_It seems the Jaffa still require grandiose displays_," Delek commented disapprovingly.

"_Apparently so_," Korra agreed dispassionately.

The Jaffa led them off center around the pillar of fire to the other side where they entered a long hallway. A third of the way down they neared an offset alcove into which they stepped.

"_Closer please_," the Jaffa insisted. Sina glanced down at the floor and the subtle markings. She pulled her body inside the inlaid circle and waited.

Suddenly there was a white flash, but they hadn't moved anywhere. Never the less the Jaffa began walking off.

"_What just happened?_" Malek asked, frowning.

"_We have been transported up many levels_," he answered, leading them down another hallway back towards the center of the spire.

"_I was expecting rings_," Sina commented.

"_They are in the walls_," the Jaffa said as the Tok'ra glanced back. The alcove had indeed been circular in design. Apparently the walls contained the transport pillars…minus the front arc.

"_An improvement on the design_," Per'sus whispered.

"_I didn't think it was possible without a complete circumference_," Sina whispered back.

"_Neither did I_," the lead Tok'ra admitted. "_But the Alterra are ostensibly the originators of the technology. It would seem they know a way around the problem_."

When they arrived in the center of the building they encountered a large Jaffa guard, numbering 15 in total, though there was enough convoluted design elements in the irregular chamber to have concealed the locations of many more. In the center of the chamber there was a more conventional ring platform imbedded in the floor…or so the aesthetic design on the smooth tile suggested.

"_Security for the throne room?_" Per'sus asked their escort.

"_Though Lord Bra'tac is a formidable warrior, we take no chances with his life_," the Jaffa said, stepping aside while giving Per'sus an intense glare. The wizened elder took the meaning immediately and stepped inside the circumference back to back with his fellow Tok'ra as one of the other guards subtly pressed a concealed jewel on a nearby pillar.

The rings rose up from the ground and there was a flash of light…then they descended and left them in a very different room.

This chamber was large, but not overly ornate. It was a perfect circle, with the ring platform off center and surrounded by four head high pillars bracketing the circumference of the rings. A black path took out forward from the cupola across the glossy red floor directly to a bank of seats…in which Bra'tac and other Jaffa were seated.

The Tok'ra slowly walked across the chamber and lowered their hoods. "_I bid you greetings on behalf of our queen, Anise. Which of you is Lord Bra'tac?_"

"_I am he_," Bra'tac said from the center seat which was identical to the others, yet raised slightly above the rest. Beneath Bra'tacs dark red cloak the chair's ornate design was obscured from view, but when unoccupied it stood out starkly from the other unadorned chairs for future System Lords. Today they were occupied by Bra'tac's command staff.

"_I am Per'sus. This is Delek, Sina, Korra, Malek, and Mingala. We are grateful for this audience you have granted us. We have much to discuss_."

Bra'tac half smiled. "_We have met before, have we not?_" he asked, addressing Mingala.

"_I believe we have_," she said, remembering his face. "_On the day Hathor was killed_."

"_A glorious day that was…_" Bra'tac remembered, "_but to current matters, I know not what you feel is so pressing that we discuss it face to face_."

Per'sus nodded, seeming to have anticipated the question. "_Our queen wishes that we investigate the possibility of a mutually beneficial alliance. We know little of you, and I presume the reverse is the same. We seek the opportunity to exchange knowledge in the hopes of finding common purpose_."

Bra'tac exchanged glances with his subordinates, then slowly returned his gaze to the Tok'ra. "_Proceed_," he said amicably.

Per'sus deferred to Malek. "_What little we have gathered of your development here on Dakara suggests that your efforts have been on building infrastructure and retraining of the Jaffa, with little time or resources spent on intelligence gathering_."

"_Is there something happening within the galaxy that you believe we are currently unaware of?_" Bra'tac asked, a bit curious.

"_I am uncertain, but there have been some significant changes happening aside from your own. For starters, the Tok'ra have been gathering intelligence on the movements of the remaining Goa'uld throughout the galaxy. We've used our limited resources to track down and eliminate many of them, but some are currently beyond our reach_."

"_A noble task_," Bra'tac commented. "_One which I am indebted to you. We have not had the time for such things_."

"_As we suspected_," Malek said, pleased that the Tok'ra still had cards to play. "_Several of the Goa'uld under our surveillance fell in with marginally advanced Human worlds throughout the galaxy, trading their technical knowledge in exchange for position and power…others simply for amnesty. Within the last year, two of these worlds have become dark to us. Our operatives are no longer able to infiltrate them…and those that were on world at the time never reported back to us. We believe they were captured or killed_."

"_Did you not investigate?_" Bra'tac said, displeased with the idea that they would abandon their people.

Malek nodded. "_We sent a cloaked vessel to investigate each. Upon arriving in the first system, our ship was destroyed before it could report in. Forewarned, the second managed to relay a few images before we lost contact. Before this, neither system's indigenous population could have penetrated our cloaking devices, let alone muster the firepower to destroy them. We believe both of our ships were taken by surprise while under cloak. A follow up, more distant recon from the planet confirmed debris from our vessels. The little data we received from the brief transmission from the second craft detailed the attacking vessels_."

Bra'tac frowned. "_Were they familiar to you?_"

"_They were not, but we have begun to accumulate a great deal of data on them. We believe they have been putting feelers out to a number of midlevel cultures across the galaxy…all Human. After some digging on related worlds, we discovered this unknown race of Humans, known as the Aschen, were soliciting worlds to join their confederation with promises of material, medical, and technological relief for their populations, including a guarantee of defense against any foe_."

Bra'tac shook his head and glanced to his associates. None of them had an answer for him. "_I know nothing of these Aschen, but I am pleased you have brought this to my attention_."

"_Also, there is another…matter which you need to be informed," _Malek offered, a bit more boldly_. "There is another world seeking expansion into the galaxy, though their methods are less enticement and more…conscription_."

Bra'tac's eyes narrowed. He could feel Malek's squeamishness. There was something he was hesitant to say. "_You know this world, unlike the other_."

"_As do you_," Delek interrupted. "_The Tauri seem to be taking your example and grabbing other worlds for their own purposes_."

Per'sus glanced warningly at Delek but did not say anything that would have been awkward, though Bra'tac could sense his emotions and got the gist of their internal strife.

"_Speak your mind, Delek_," Bra'tac urged. "_I care not for verbal deceptions. What is it the Tauri have done, and why do you lay blame on us?_"

Delek stepped forward to the head of the group. "_Let's start with you, shall we? You've already seized three systems aside from Dakara. Up until such time I believed you might have been content with rebuilding Dakara and inviting other Jaffa to join you, but now you have taken after the Goa'uld and begun building your own empire_."

"_Yes, I have_," Bra'tac said, saying exactly the opposite that Delek expected.

The Tok'ra's eyes widened. "_You admit as much?_"

"_I admit we are expanding into an empire_," Bra'tac said slowly, "_but you are incorrect in assuming that we are taking after the Goa'uld. The worlds we have taken wished to join us_."

"_As we have confirmed_," Malek interrupted. "_My friend and others are concerned that your actions, while in the moment seem benevolent enough, could be a stepping stone to more unsavory developments_."

"_You believe we are becoming the enemy that we previously sought to defeat?_" Bra'tac summed up.

"_Our queen does not_," Per'sus interjected. "_But she has asked that we voice many questions. We mean no disrespect._"

Bra'tac leaned back in his seat. "_Any true friendship cannot hide behind lies. Differences of opinion must be voiced so that the truth of one's character may be assessed. As for my seizing other worlds, it is only right that I inform you that I now possess seven more in addition to Dakara, four of which are inhabited_."

"_We thank you for that revelation_," Per'sus offered. "_What, if we may, is the purpose of your expansion?_"

"_I would have thought that answer obvious enough_," Bra'tac chastised. "_Why does any civilization expand?_"

"_There are many reasons_," Malek offered. "_Some benevolent, some benign…_"

"_and some malevolent_," Delek finished for him.

"_What is it you wish of me_," Bra'tac asked Delek. "_I do not believe my mere assurance of good will is sufficient to placate your concerns?_"

"_Why did you reinstate the structure of the System Lords?" _Delek demanded_. "Surely you could have chosen another form?_"

"_I would remind you, Tok'ra, that that system also belongs to the Jaffa. It is the societal structure which we have lived under for years. We and you have repurposed Goa'uld ships and technology, would you cede that we have the right to do the same with their command structure_."

"_A fair point_," Delek relented. "_But one wonders if the old structure has been repurposed or simply emulated?_"

Raknor leaned forward in his chair. "_I could ask the same of you, Tok'ra. You take hosts, as did the Goa'uld. Is not the situation the same?_"

"_Of course not_," Delek scoffed. "_We are not the Goa'uld. We take willing hosts and share their lives. They are not our slaves._"

"_You may say the same of the worlds we have taken and will take in the future_," Bra'tac argued. "_They join us freely, and we do not enslave them_."

"_As you said, words are insufficient guarantee," _Delek said, stuck by his own statement._ "We ask what you plan to do with the Tauri. Are we free to act against them if we so choose? Or are they under your protection?_"

Bra'tac's eyes narrowed. "_I know nothing of which you speak. What exactly have they done?_"

Korra interrupted, having done some of the reconnaissance himself. "_They have taken up stewardship over several primitive worlds and have begun reshaping them to their own uses_."

"_Such as what?_" Bra'tac asked. "_I know they have had a number of offworld bases and mining sites, but I have not known them to take an inhabited world_."

"_They have done so now_," Korra continued, "_and have begun building a number of factories and agricultural facilities that the locals help operate. We don't know the particulars of the arrangement between these two parties, but the fact that the Tauri are not treating these worlds as sovereign entities is disturbing. They have made them into Tauri colonies, for what purpose we do not know_."

"_That is not all_," Delek interrupted. "_These worlds all possess stargates, but the Tauri never use them. They always arrive and depart via ship, usually replica Goa'uld cargo ships of their own construction, based on the design variants. These actions suggest less than noble intentions_."

"_Interesting_," Bra'tac mused, his thoughts suddenly elsewhere.

"_Will you shield them?_" Delek demanded.

"_We shall investigate_," Bra'tac declared, glancing at his subordinates. Two of them stood up and left on assignments, knowing by intuition rather than telepathy what the Alterra wanted.

"_Investigate_," Delek repeated.

"_Any intelligence you have gathered would be useful," _Bra'tac prompted_, "including anything you have on the Aschen_."

Sina stepped forward and pulled a small crystal out of a hidden pocket. "_We anticipated your request_."

Bra'tac snapped his fingers and another Jaffa in the room brought a small reading tablet to him. He inserted the crystal and a hologram deployed above it.

"_If what you say is true about the Tauri, then I share your concerns. While I have great faith in the people in what the Tauri call the SGC, I am also aware of less trustworthy elements on their world. I believe I recall a friend of mine telling me that the Tauri had differing priorities and that this split had resulted in an offworld base being established without using the stargates and without their knowledge. I believe they eventually shut it down_."

Malek nodded. "_That would explain a lot. We recently signed a new treaty with the Tauri strictly forbidding this kind of interference. We couldn't account for their duplicity, but if there are multiple factions in play then that changes things_."

"_I fail to see how_," Delek argued. "_The Tauri are responsible for the actions of their people, just as we are ours. You do not mean to excuse them on the basis of ignorance_."

"_Not completely_," Malek argued. "_But it does compliment matters_."

"_The Tauri are still in violation of the treaty and should be held accountable_," Delak argued with his fellow Tok'ra as Bra'tac skimmed through the intelligence data as he listened. Suddenly the System Lord's eyes went wide.

"_What is it?_" Per'sus asked when he saw his expression.

"_I am afraid I misspoke earlier_," Bra'tac said, enlarging the hologram of the small ships that had destroyed the Tok'ra's second scout ship. "_We have encountered them before, but we did not know their name. They attempted an invasion of Avalon, which we repelled using an Alterran ship_."

"_Avalon?_" Per'sus asked.

"_Otherwise known as Earth…the first world…home of the Tauri. My friend, be wary and forewarned…these Aschen are far more dangerous than you realize_."


	2. Chapter 2

"_There are no ships in orbit_," the Jaffa helmsmen of the cloaked Alket reported.

"_That we can see_," Raknor added. "_The Tauri also possess cloaking technology_. _Can you locate the chappa'ai?_"

The Jaffa worked through the passive sensor data. "_It must be on the other side of the planet_," he said, glancing up at Raknor.

"_Proceed_," the commander of this mission ordered. Bra'tac had entrusted him with a ship and eight Jaffa to covertly verify the Tok'ra's reports. Raknor had had previous contact with the Tauri and knew something of what to expect, which was part of the reason why he'd been chosen for this mission. The other part was that in lieu of a true First Prime, Raknor had taken over the default duties of being Bra'tac's go to man.

The Alterra had instructed him to tread lightly with the Tauri, but to do what he needed to discover what they were up to. Bra'tac wanted more information before he contacted the SGC.

"_There it is_," the helmsman reported as the Alket swung around to the other side of the planet.

"_Hold position_," Raknor ordered. "_Bring up all surface scans of the area around the chappa'ai._"

A hologram materialized behind the pilot and copilot's seats. The surface scans weren't overly detailed as a result of the active cloaking device, but they gave sufficient detail to mark seven distinct settlements.

"_Enlarge_," Raknor said. This planet was supposed to have a population between 5,000 and 10,000 Humans.

The hologram expanded and more settlements appeared, though much smaller in size. The geographical map continued to expand out to a thousand kilometer radius.

"_Tag all the habitations, then focus back on the ones nearest the gate_."

A few moments later nine settlements appeared, all in close proximity to the gate and by far the largest on the planet. The smallest of the nine was ten times larger than the next smallest settlement, and it appeared to Raknor that these sites had to have been expanded with help from the Tauri. The basic readings that they were getting indicated multiple level buildings…and that was something that the local population of Osser wasn't capable of building on their own.

"_Enlarge 30%_."

The map expanded and several smaller dots appeared around the circumference.

There was a small ridgeline separating the main settlements from the others on the north side of the stargate. One small settlement was sitting in the middle of a large open area several kilometers square. The right angles of the clearing suggested it wasn't naturally occurring.

Raknor toggled the map controls and checked several other breaks in the forest. They were all clearings bordered by precise lines, but only two of them had settlements inside the boundaries. Raknor continued to inspect the hologram while the other Jaffa on the bridge waited silently.

Off to the east Raknor found one clearing irregularly shaped…and it was within range of one of the larger settlements.

"_Take us here, here, and here_," he ordered, pointing to three distant positions on the map.

* * *

The cloaked Alket lowered its boarding ramp as it hovered a few meters above a dirt road in the middle of a plowed field. Raknor and Hret stepped out from the cloaking field of the ship but didn't appear. They were wearing personal cloaking devices of their own, ones capable of seeing each other and the Alket behind them…though it only appeared as glowing grid lines to Raknor's ocular device as it lifted up above the nearby treetops and moved off to the second position to deposit another infiltration team.

It was midday with a cloudless sky and overbearing sun. Off to their left there was a large machine cutting down more trees along the edge of the clearing and a small workforce cutting apart and disposing of the lumber. Another group used smaller, handheld machines to cut up the ground where the trees had been and convert it into tilled soil.

Raknor and Hret walked together silently under cloak down the small dirt road toward three small white domes in the center of the growing field.

The domes weren't fully sealed. Near the ground they didn't touch, but instead were latched to several metal poles imbedded into the soil. The domes were made of some type of taught clothe stretched over the metal framework. Inside a plethora of different sized crates were visible, some of which were open.

Raknor carefully rummaged through the open crates. Most were bags of grain, but there were also some more of the handheld machines that they'd seen used in the fields. They definitely looked like Tauri technology…Raknor used his ocular device to capture several photos of the crates' contents.

After he finished he motioned for Hret to follow him outside. Once in the clear they ran off down another dirt road in the direction of the nearest settlement. They had six hours to scout the colony before they were due for pickup…though Raknor could contact the ship and reschedule if needed.

The dirt trail led into the woods and meandered through some low hills until it abruptly stopped and a hard, black surface replaced it with white lines down the center and along the edges. On either side of the black material that stunk of chemicals, crushed white rock an arm's length wide outlined either side before transitioning into low cut green plants, so thick you couldn't see the dirt beneath them.

Raknor and Hret hesitated at the sight of the alien landscape, then cautiously moved forward down the road.

On either side of them there stood squarish buildings, most three levels high with many windows. Behind them, in the distance, two much larger buildings dominated the horizon, easily three times as high and a kilometer long. The roofs were angled up to a peak, but otherwise they were little more than large rectangles.

Raknor and Hret moved off the road and onto a smaller, lighter path that led across the greenery to the individual buildings. They chose one of the smaller, three level structures and approached the entrance, taking surveillance photos periodically.

They stopped just outside and waited for several minutes, but no one seemed to be around. There was, however, a surveillance camera covering the door.

Raknor consider for a moment. The device probably couldn't see through their cloak, but it would detect when the door opened.

He shook his head. This needed to be a zero impact operation. They couldn't leave any hints behind of a cloaked operative. They'd try another route.

Raknor pointed Hret off along the side of the building onto the green plants. They checked each window they passed by, trying to observe any activity inside. They went all the way around the perimeter but none of the windows were open, nor did they look to be capable of such a function. Also, no one could be seen inside.

Raknor waved Hret on and they made their way back to the road. There were other buildings toward the settlements' center, more square in design and higher than they were wide. They'd check those out next.

When they were halfway there they noticed a group of twelve people walking down the road back to one of the three story buildings in front of a small ground transport meant for two passengers, but only one seat was occupied. The woman driving the four wheeled transport looked to be an offworlder, based on her clothing. She wore a trim uniform of high quality as opposed to the baggy, blue full body suits that the twelve walking men wore. She also had a small, flat information device in her hand.

When they arrived in front of one of the particular buildings the group stopped in formation…two by two…and seemed to wait on the woman to proceed.

She checked off some information on her device and said something to the workers in the common tongue. They broke ranks and shuffled into the building while she casually drove off.

Raknor ran after the woman with Hret following a step behind. The small transport wasn't very fast, and they could nearly keep pace with it as they ran. The woman gained ground slowly, but the wide open arrangement of the settlement made it difficult for her to get out of sight of the cloaked Jaffa.

The woman eventually led them to one of the larger buildings on the outskirts of the settlement. This one the Jaffa could enter without trouble…the bay doors were open, and they simply followed the woman inside.

The facility was quite large, but little more than a basic framework with an open aired interior. Many large farming machines were docked here, with maintenance workers scattered among them. Raknor saw one moving out three bays down and wondered what its purpose was. It had a long, wide comb with pointed teeth on the front attached to a thick body suspended on two large wheels up front and two smaller ones in the rear, on top of which stood a clear glass cockpit.

Raknor took several seconds of video then let it pass. He'd follow it up later.

The woman they'd followed had rendezvoused with another two identically dressed men. They conversed with each other briefly before another set of a dozen blue-clad workers emerged from some sort of processing area and one of the well dressed men took a transport of his own and led them out of the building.

The woman and the other man continued their conversation and Raknor moved closer, recording what he could of it. They were not speaking the common tongue, as most Humans in this galaxy did. Bra'tac had explained to Raknor and several other high level Jaffa that the common tongue had originally come from the Pegasus galaxy and was brought to Avalona by a Lantean named Merlin, who then spread it to several worlds during the reign of the original System Lords. Upon discovering a common language between several of the worlds they eventually conquered, they decided to use the language for their Humans slaves and thus spread it throughout their domain.

What Bra'tac didn't know was that the common tongue of the people in Pegasus had actually originated from before the Ori/Alterra split. It was the common trade language in Destra, while Lingara was a more advanced, more technical language specifically created to allow for a plethora of terminology and intricacy that the sciences required.

Over time, the zealotry of the Ori deemed Lingara as the Holy language and pushed to abolish all others. In time they succeeded, and Lingara became the standard. When the Alterra left Destra several thousands of years later the trade language went with them in their linguistic database…though it was never used again.

When the Lanteans saw that the more primitive seed species in Pegasus had advanced far enough to comprehend basic languages they intentionally taught them the old trade language, partly in defiance of the Ori's original edict banishing the language, but also because the Pegasus natives weren't advanced enough to comprehend the intricacies of LIngara…the language of the Ancients. Thus the common tongue reappeared in Pegasus…and it was that language that the Lanteans used to communicate with their less advanced brethren.

Subsequently, the Ori resurrected the old trade language when they too created a primitive version of themselves. The idea of their subjects speaking the Holy language for their pathetic, day to day lives was offensive, to say the least. It was decided that they should use the old language for their meaningless existence while learning the Holy language through patient and diligent study…further ingraining them on the path to 'enlightenment.'

Most front line Jaffa had been required to learn the common tongue in order to deal with the slaves, and Raknor had been among them. Others had not, and those were primarily the priests and other temple workers who saw such knowledge as an affront to the language of the gods.

Those gods, in turn, had spread the common language as a way to further deitize themselves. The language of the Goa'uld became the Holy language, and not knowing it further degraded the slaves and set them apart from the Jaffa who oversaw them.

Raknor, however, had also been taught a third language…Batu. It had originally been implemented by the System Lord Hera as a 'battle language' for her Jaffa that could be used for secret communication during combat. Orders could be yelled out in the heat of battle and the enemy would be unaware of what was being said. It had proved so useful that several other System Lords sought out the language and taught it to their own Jaffa…thus ending Hera's advantage.

Raknor had also heard several other languages spoken, but the one these Humans were using was totally unfamiliar to him…but even more bizarre was the fact that when these white clothed leaders spoke to the blue clothed workers they did so in the common tongue.

After recording a sample of the language Raknor and Hret slipped into the processing area that the workers were coming from in an attempt to backtrack them to whatever they were working on.

The bit about the language bothered Raknor. It seemed to confirm Tok'ra suspicions that the local inhabitants were not equal partners in this endeavor…that is, if the blue clothed persons were in fact the local inhabitants. Their general appearance supported this, but Raknor couldn't be for sure.

No closed doors stood in the Jaffas' way, only a labyrinth of corridors that led into the enclosed section of the building. Hret was nearly run over by a group of workers as they passed by, but he eluded detection by cramming himself into a wall niche.

Raknor nodded his approval and the two moved on. They eventually emerged into a large, open aired factory on the opposite end of the rectangular building from the vehicle bays. Hundreds of blue clad workers swarmed over the machinery, most of which looked primitive to the Jaffa's eye. Interspersed among them were yellow clad individuals…but they didn't look any different from the blues. Only the white clad leaders appeared to be offworlders, and there were only a handful of them visible.

Upon further exploration, the Jaffa discovered the factory was not a single unit. There were three different sections processing different materials. One appeared to be some type of ore refinery...the second was a forge for the metals…and the third was a packaging plant for the crops coming in from the fields.

The Jaffa worked their way through the third section and found a link to a separate loading bay with transports taking on the grain. One of the open topped long-bed transports was nearly full.

Hret pointed towards it and motioned that they should get on. Raknor nodded and they weaved their way across the loading dock and climbed up opposite sides of the transport. They sat down on top of the grain bags, still obscured beneath their cloaking devices and waited for departure.

Ten minutes later the transport pulled out and headed down the black road toward another settlement.


	3. Chapter 3

Enesset looked at the tiny pinprick of a planet that supposedly housed the Aschen colony with a stern look on his face. The Jaffa was not the most conversational warrior amongst Bra'tac's legions, but he was one of the most dependable and, more importantly, cautious.

He'd been selected to lead the second scouting mission to verify the Tok'ra's intelligence. His mission, however, was different than that of Raknor's. The previous Tok'ra scouting missions had ended with the destruction of their ships in orbit, which required Enesset to be even more cautious than usual.

Bra'tac had assured him that the Alket's cloaking device would be sufficient to fool the Aschen's sensors, unlike those of the Tok'ra, but the System Lord had still insisted on a bit of prudence in their approach to the mission. Hence the long, slow advance from halfway across the star system.

Distant as they were, two larger ships were detectable in orbit around the planet with many more intermittent contacts. Enesset had seen the telemetry from Bra'tac's battle over Earth and wondered if these blips weren't a cluster of the block craft that the Aschen had used to attack the Human world.

Prior to the launch of this mission, the Jaffa had sought out word of mouth intelligence amongst the trading partners of Illicia…the world Enesset was now approaching. Like the Tok'ra had also told them, Illicia had been invited to join what was called the Aschen Confederation, though how much of an 'invitation' it had been remained to be seen. Regardless, Illicia's trading partners had seen a boon of exports coming from the planet, both in volume and quality.

On a lesser level, several other planets had reported a small number of individuals emigrating to Illicia with the Aschen's blessing. It seemed the Tok'ra had tried to infiltrate the planet through this means, but were discovered. This suggested the Aschen's ability to detect the presence of a symbiot within a host.

Enesset had mixed feelings about that…on one level he appreciated the irony of the Tok'ra losing their ability to hide within Humans…but on another level he worried about what other technology these Aschen might have if they could thwart the esteemed intelligence gathering capabilities of the Tok'ra.

The Jaffa knew better than to try and emulate the Goa'uld, and with the Alterran technology granted them they fortunately had another option…

As the planet of Illicia grew larger on the viewscreen the sensor images refined themselves into a number of smaller vessels, some of which were the block craft…but others were new ships that had not been included in the information packet from the System Lord.

"_Tag the smaller ships and begin collecting data_," Enesset ordered.

The Jaffa in the copilot's seat nodded and pulled up a sensor protocol and tied it into the ship's memory bank where a profile composite began to form…such skills had long been denied, even forbidden, to the Jaffa during the reign of the original System Lords, but now that a Jaffa had ascended to that rank things had changed, and changed greatly. Lord Bra'tac had not only allowed technical knowledge to the Jaffa, he had insisted on their training in it. As it was, Enesset and his crew knew far more about the 'magics' of the Goa'uld than their ancestors ever had.

One of the smaller ships began to break orbit, leaving the protective halo of the block ships. After half a minute the ship jumped into hyperspeed en route to who knew where.

"_Plot the trajectory_," Enesset ordered.

The copilot did as bidden then located a system along the path. He brought up the location on the central hologram.

"_The second Aschen planet_," Enesset mumbled as his attention was drawn to the two large ships. They were close enough now for the passive sensors to identify their designs.

The first was a control ship, identical to the one used in the battle at the Tauri homeworld. The second was a cube of block ships, all undeployed. It just hung in space alongside the curved command ship in a stark contrast of aesthetics.

"_Take us into the atmosphere…slowly_," he urged.

Thus far their cloak had held up against detection…but entering the atmosphere was another matter altogether. The disruption of the air on entry could be tracked unless they were very careful about it.

The pilot knew what he was doing, however, and slowed the ship to a stop above one of the larger cities, completely negating orbital velocity. The parked Aschen ships drifted off along their orbits while the Alket descended on its anti-grav repulsors.

Enesset kept a close eye on the enemy ships as the atmosphere began to lick at their craft, but neither moved. The Jaffa at the helm kept them steady all the way down to the surface where they bottomed out a mile above a large primitive city.

"_Make sure all recorders are on_," Enesset reminded the crew. "_Zero presence survey protocols…let's get to work._"

* * *

Raknor and Hret slipped off the sides of the cargo transport when it left the road onto a larger square pad made of the same substance. When the Jaffa dropped to the ground they instinctively touched their hands to the surface as their legs absorbed the drop. Raknor glanced at the black residue on his fingers, glanced at Hret who had the same on his hand, then wiped the grime off on his pant leg.

They fell into step with each other and followed the transport across the expanse toward six parked cargo ships…each a knockoff of the goa'uld version, but with the round edges blocked off in typical Tauri fashion. Raknor also noticed armed guards for the first time…they too carried typical Tauri weapons.

Behind the cargo ships was a slow, wide building that was little more than a thin cover over a dozen Human fighters.

When the Jaffa got closer they noticed subtle symbols on the cargo ships. Raknor couldn't make out the symbols, but he made sure to record the images. The fighters too, they found out as they circled past the cargo ships, had identical symbols at the top of the markings, then similar, but different markings below.

Hret touched his shoulder to get his attention then pointed off to their right. Raknor glanced in that direction and frowned. Beyond a row of thin trees there were a cluster of small boxes sitting in the sun next to another squarish building…but this building had the look of a prison about it. The windows all had reinforcing bars in the transparent material, multiple security recorders on short poles around the perimeter, an armed checkpoint at the only entrance, and a wire fence surrounding the perimeter.

The two Jaffa moved across the paved surface, through the trees, and in between the boxes toward the checkpoint when they heard a soft groan.

Raknor stopped and listened. The groan didn't repeat, but he was fairly sure it had come from one of the boxes. Hret pointed to the third closest one and Raknor nodded his agreement. They both crept up on it and bent down to look through two tiny slits in the metal.

Both Jaffa exchanged glances. There was someone inside…and given the metal construction and the sun beating down on it there was little doubt that this was anything other than some sort of punishment device. Raknor's first instinct was to free the person inside, but that wasn't an option…or was it.

Raknor waved to Hret and they jogged off into the middle of nowhere.

"_Jorro_," Raknor whispered into his communicator.

"_I am here_," the Jaffa in the ship answered through Raknor's earpiece, which also transmitted to all the other scouts on the planet, including Hret.

"_Change of plans_," he continued to whisper. He was cloaked, but it would do nothing to hide his voice. "_I'm sending Hret back to the ship. He needs another gauntlet and a fast-acting sedative._"

Hret nodded, suddenly understanding, and took off at a run back to their extraction point.

"_It will take a few minutes to synthesize the sedative…_" Jorro said, unsure what was going on. "_Who is it for?_"

"_One of the natives…I think_," Raknor said, not quite sure of who he was looking at through the tiny cuts in the box, but his instincts said this was one of the original inhabitants that hadn't wanted to do things the Tauri way.

He'd find out in a few hours, assuming the individual lived that long.

"_You think?_" Jorro asked, more confused than before.

"_We found a prison_," Raknor said quickly and quietly. "_He might be able to provide us with some information_."

"_Understood. But won't that violate operational orders?_"

"_Indeed_ _it will. I'll take responsibility_."

"_Your call_," Jorro relented. "_You going to drag him back, or do you want a pickup?_"

"_I'll let you know_," Raknor said, ending communications. It would take a while for Hret to get back with the equipment, but there was a large field nearby with several auxiliary buildings that Raknor wanted to check out in the meantime.

* * *

"_This is the one you spoke of?_" Bra'tac asked as a withered Human was escorted up toward the head of the 'throne room.'

"_She is_," Raknor confirmed, bowing his head slightly upon arrival at the foot of the dais where Bra'tac stood.

"_She is weak_," Bra'tac said, glancing over her. The woman could barely stand, and would have fallen over if two Jaffa hadn't held either arm firmly. "_You said she was in some form of torture device, yes?_"

Raknor nodded. "_Confined space, seated with knees to the chest and extreme heat, very little ventilation_."

Bra'tac nodded. "_I've seen such methods used before_," he said, reaching out and putting a hand on her thin neck. He closed his eyes and concentrated.

For a moment nothing happened, then the woman sucked in a quick, noisy breath as if she was waking from a trance.

"Be still…" Bra'tac said, firmly but warmly. "You are among friends."

The woman glanced at the larger Jaffa holding her in place. "Where am I?"

"On a world called Dakara," the Alterra answered kindly. "My name is Bra'tac."

"Selena," she offered timidly.

Bra'tac nodded his head in greeting. "My Jaffa rescued you from your confinement and brought you here. They had hoped you could provide us with some information."

Selena's brow furrowed. "I don't remember any of that."

"You were delirious," Bra'tac told her. "Only now have I healed your wounds and cleared your mind."

She shook her arms loose and looked for the burn marks on them, then felt for the ones on the back of her neck. "How?"

"With a touch," he said simply. "I am an Alterra. These are Jaffa," he said, extending his hand toward his companions.

"I've heard of Jaffa," Selena admitted, "but not Alterra."

"That's not surprising," Bra'tac said dismissively. "Why were you tortured, Selena?"

She shrugged. "I woke up one morning and didn't feel like working, so they put me in the box."

"How long were you in the box?"

"Ten days…they took me out each night and said I could go back to work in the morning…but I wouldn't, so they kept putting me back in the box."

"Who are they?" Bra'tac asked, curious.

"The overseers," she answered, stretching her back.

"They are offworlders, are they not?"

"Yeah…they came to our world three years ago and offered our people a deal…and our stupid leaders fell for it."

"What kind of deal?" Bra'tac asked.

"They offered protection, food, technology, and a bunch of other junk that made the idiots drool with greed. All we had to do was join them and they'd make our lives easier," she said, ending with a sarcastic grunt.

"They did not live up to the bargain?" Bra'tac asked.

"I suppose they did," Selena said, clearly not agreeing with her own comment. "We don't have to worry about running out of food in the winter, our homes are cooled in the summer and heated in the winter, our water is crisp and clear, and we get a fresh set of clothes each day…but I'd hardly call that a fair trade for our freedom. They decide everything…where we work, when we work, where we live, what we eat, how we walk, what we can and can't say." She shook her head in disgust. "I hated the bastards even before they put me in the box."

"You cannot leave your world?"

"No…they have the ring of the gods guarded. Only those with permission can pass through…no one has that I know of in the last year. The overseers don't even use it. They travel by ship."

Bra'tac nodded gravely. "Tell me more of what they have done."

* * *

After they'd finished debriefing the prisoner, Bra'tac had her given quarters and provisions on Dakara with the option of travel to any world of her choice if she did not want to remain with the Jaffa. She'd said something about tracking down her relatives on Ido, but was more than happy to remain on Dakara for a while and do nothing but eat and sleep.

Meanwhile, Bra'tac reviewed the intelligence data that Raknor had brought back with him, as well as the data from Enesset on the Aschen. After several hours of analysis Bra'tac contacted Earth and requested SG-1 be sent to Dakara to meet with him as soon as possible.


	4. Chapter 4

"General Landry," Teal'c said, standing just outside his office.

"Teal'c…come in," he said, emphasized by a wave of his hand.

The Jaffa walked in with his hands clasped behind his back and stood flush with the front of the General's desk.

"I respectfully request not to be included in SG-1's mission to Dakara."

Landry raised an eyebrow. "This have something to do with you and Bra'tac?"

"It does."

Landry sighed and leaned back in his chair. "What is it with the two of you anyway?"

"It is not something easily explained," Teal'c said monotone.

"Try me."

Teal'c nodded slowly. "Very well. Bra'tac believes he is ushering in a new era of respect, power, and freedom for all Jaffa. I believe he is a shol'va."

Landry seemed taken aback for a moment. "Harsh words…especially coming from you. I thought the two of you were close friends."

"We were…but Bra'tac is not the Jaffa he once was."

"Do you have any idea why he requested SG-1 come to Dakara?"

"I do not."

"Do you believe you will be a hindrance to the mission in some way?"

Teal'c hesitated. "No good will come from my presence there."

"I see," Landry said, considering. "Permission to stay behind, granted."

"Thank you, General," Teal'c said, nodding and walking around the corner of the General's desk.

"Hold up, Teal'c. If you won't be going to Dakara with SG-1, then I have another assignment for you."

Teal'c stood to. "Yes?"

"I'd like you to visit the offworld training center for a few days. Rough 'em up a bit in the simulations. Give the trainees a taste of real combat."

Teal'c nodded curtly. "It will be my pleasure, General Landry," he said with the barest hint of a smile.

* * *

Mitchell, Carter, Vala, and Hailey ringed up into the Dakara thrown room, escorted by a pair of Jaffa guards. The foursome glanced around the large chamber, noticing the raised seats at the far end with Bra'tac and company assembled. Cam led the way up the path on the floor with Sam a step behind off his right shoulder.

"Thank you for coming," Bra'tac offered as he stood up and walked down the tiered steps to meet them on an equal level.

"No problem," Cam commented. "Nice place you got here."

"Very impressive," Sam added.

Bra'tac nodded dismissively. He was obviously preoccupied. "Where is Teal'c?"

Mitchell half cringed. "Yeah, Teal'c is on another assignment at the moment."

Bra'tac stood impassive. "I see. I had wished to speak with him."

Vala shrugged innocently. "I think he's still a little mad at you," she said, drawing a glare from Mitchell.

Bra'tac nodded. "I got that sense from him the last time we spoke. I had hoped he'd taken a new perspective by now, but no matter. His presence at this time isn't necessary."

"What's going on, Bra'tac?" Carter asked.

"I wish this meeting were under better circumstances…I have asked you here to discuss a matter concerning the Tauri."

"Oh?" Cam asked.

Bra'tac hesitated again. "It has come to my attention that you have established a number of offworld bases."

Cam and Carter exchanged glances. "We've had several for some time," Sam admitted.

"But to our knowledge," Bra'tac countered, "you have never taken a world with an existing population on it."

"Well," Cam wavered, "there was one that had a bunch of Unas on it, but we eventually worked out an agreement with them to set up a mining operation."

"I was not aware of that," Bra'tac told him, "but I was actually referring to Human populations."

Cam frowned. "Carter?"

She shook her head. "All of our bases are on uninhabited worlds."

"I have been told," Bra'tac continued, "that your recently revised treaty with the Tok'ra expressly forbid either party to take control of planets with existing populations."

"Yes it does," Carter said, sensing a problem. "What are you getting at?"

Bra'tac sighed/growled. "We received intelligence from the Tok'ra that you were in violation of your treaty with them. I sent Raknor to investigate," he said, gesturing to the man seated behind them.

"What they said is true," Raknor confirmed. "I saw your people and equipment myself."

"What world was this?" Vala interrupted, sensing some hanky panky going on.

"Osser," Raknor said accusingly.

Cam and Carter exchanged looks again. "Never heard of it," he said.

"I have," Hailey said meekly from behind him.

Cam and Carter parted, looking back at her. "Where?" Sam asked.

"It's a world SG-16 explored four or five years ago. Medium sized population, decent climate, poor, no technology to speak of."

"Then you admit you've been there?" Raknor asked.

"Yeah…I guess so," Cam said. "We don't have a base there that I know of," he said, glancing back at Hailey. She shook her head 'no.'

"Perhaps this will help jog your memory," Raknor said, activating a holographic projector in the floor. It began going through a slide show of the stills he and the other Jaffa had taken during their reconnaissance mission.

"What the hell?" Sam whispered as a shot of a combine in a corn field appeared.

"I could swear those were pictures from back home," Cam said offhand.

"I can assure you," Raknor said, his voice teetering between friendly and hostile, "they are not."

SG-1 continued to watch the pictures, their confusion growing.

"That's Earth technology," Vala vouched.

"And you have no knowledge of this world?" Bra'tac asked.

"No," Carter said, still surprised at what they were being shown.

Bra'tac nodded, having searched their minds to see if they were lying or not. "I had thought not. I knew it was not something typical of your actions…but could it not be another faction of your people?"

"I don't see how," Carter testified. "They couldn't set up something like that without us knowing…unless they didn't use the stargate."

"Oh…I do _not_ like where this is going, Sam" Mitchell said, glancing at the floor.

"We have recovered one of the natives from the planet," Bra'tac told them. "She told us many things…one of which was the fact that ships come and go from the planet on a daily basis."

"What kind of ships?" Hailey asked.

"Copies of Goa'uld cargo ships," Raknor said, stepping forward and altering the holographic display by way of a small handheld device. Photos of the grounded ships appeared.

"These were the ships we encountered on the surface. The Humans were loading grain onboard in large quantities…the one ship that we observed arriving carried Tauri-style crates," the Jaffa said, showing them another photo.

"What's that symbol?" Vala asked, pointing to the top of one sideways stacked crate.

Raknor enlarged the photo until the small symbol became easily visible.

"Good catch," Cam offered. "Anyone recognize it?"

"It's the I.O.A." Hailey said immediately.

Sam nodded. "She's right. I've seen it on some of their recent letterhead."

"Why haven't I seen it then?" Cam asked, not liking the implications of this.

"They have four different symbols," Hailey explained. "They use them almost at random. This one I haven't seen very often, but it is theirs. I guarantee it."

"What are they thinking setting up a base without telling the SGC?" Vala asked, not entirely surprised. "And where did they get those cargo ships? They're obviously a different variant from what the Goa'uld use, so they couldn't have stolen them."

"Maybe they built them," Hailey offered.

"Hold on a minute," Cam interrupted. "Let's go back to part about them shipping grain offworld."

"What kind of grain was it?" Sam asked, tracking Cam's thoughts.

"We never saw the contents," Raknor told them, "but there were a large number of corn fields on the planet. We guessed they were shipping grain back to Earth to help offset the damage done to your world by the Aschen bioweapon."

"We took a hit," Sam admitted, "and some of the countries involved still haven't fully recovered, but a few cargo ships of grain a day would hardly make any difference."

"Kassa?" Vala asked.

"I hope not," Cam said, "but why else would they be shipping it offworld?"

"What is Kassa?" Bra'tac asked.

"It's a type of narcotic that the Lucian Alliance grew in the form of corn. They sold it across the galaxy for a substantial profit before we started interfering in their operations," Carter explained.

"Corn?" Raknor asked.

"More like evil space corn, but yeah," Cam confirmed.

"And your people are growing this to sell to the galaxy?" the Jaffa asked.

"Or to sell on Earth," Hailey offered.

"Oh boy," Sam said, not even having considered that possibility.

"Correct me if I'm wrong," Cam said, glancing at the backdrop of the current picture in the hologram, "but that doesn't look like some fly by night operation. It looks like they've been there a while."

"Yes, it does," Sam agreed. She glanced at Bra'tac. "You said you had a witness?"

"Indeed," he confirmed. "She had been imprisoned and tortured for refusing to work. Yet another reason why I didn't believe this was your doing…but it's also something we can't allow to continue."

"If it's our people, we'll put a stop to it," Carter assured him.

"How?" Cam asked her.

"We'll find a way," she said resolutely.

"If they've been going behind our back for years what makes you think they'll stop now?"

"This isn't the first time we've discovered one of their unsanctioned projects," Sam reminded him, harshening her voice to suggest that this wasn't the time or place to discuss these things.

"Do you have a full sized map?" Cam asked Bra'tac.

The Alterra nodded to Raknor and he adjusted the hologram to show an aerial schematic of the colony.

Vala whistled appreciatively when it dawned on them just how big it was.

Cam pointed to it. "You really think they're going to shut down something that big?"

"They'll have to," Carter insisted, though she didn't feel as confident as she sounded.

"There was something else that my Jaffa found odd," Bra'tac said, again glancing at Raknor. "The Tauri on this world spoke two languages. One to the indigenous workers, and another amongst themselves that we couldn't identify."

The hologram shifted from stills to video with sound. They listened to a brief conversation in an alien tongue, then a still of some markings appeared.

"And these were also discovered on the hull of the cargo ships," Bra'tac continued.

The top symbol was again the crest of the I.O.A….but the symbols beneath matched the spoken language they'd just heard.

Cam's eyes narrowed dangerously. "That's Chinese…"


	5. Chapter 5

Ian Victor was having a meeting in his office with his American counterpart in the SGC, Kelly VanMeter, when Landry burst through the door.

"What's the meaning of this?" the I.O.A. lead representative on permanent station in Cheyenne Mountain demanded.

"You slick son of a bitch," Landry bit out. "Did you really think we wouldn't find out?"

"I don't know what you think you're doing," Victor angrily objected, "but I will not be addressed in such a tone."

"Osser!" Landry yelled, clearly unintimidated by the suit and tie wearing Brit.

For the barest of seconds there was recognition on Victor's face, then it disappeared behind a diplomatic mask.

"What's Osser?" he asked innocently. "And what about it gives you the right to barge into my office?"

"General, what's going on?" VanMeter asked.

Landry looked down at where she sat. "I hope to god you didn't have any part in this."

"Part in what?" she demanded.

Landry looked back at Victor. "Ask your boss. He knows."

Kelly looked at the senior I.O.A. representative. "What's Osser?"

Victor shook his head innocently. "I have no idea."

"Cut the bull," Landry said, leaning his fists on the edge of his desk. "The Jaffa ratted you out. We've got a copy of their intelligence data…including some damning pictures of Human infrastructure and half a dozen 302s. Not to mention an eye witness that the Jaffa rescued from their imprisonment."

Victor's demeanor changed, but he didn't say anything. Even Kelly saw it.

"What is he talking about?" she demanded again.

"The SGC answers to the I.O.A., not the other way around," Victor responded icily.

"All offworld bases fall under the supervision of Homeworld Security," Landry shouted. "I just got off the phone with General O'Neill five minutes ago. They know nothing about this."

"Osser's a planet," VanMeter guessed.

"Yes…one with a joint I.O.A./Chinese colony running roughshod over the locals," Landry told her while watching Victor's eyes. They widened just a bit.

The US representative to the I.O.A. turned on her boss. "That's in violation of the Gate Alliance Treaty, the I.O.A. charter, and the treaty we have with the Tok'ra!"

"Apparently this colony has been around for a few years…" Landry added, letting Kelly take the lead.

"Which means you willfully signed onto a treaty that you had no intention of following!" she accused Victor, and by extension the rest of the I.O.A. leading counsel.

"The Tok'ra are irrelevant," Victor said slowly. "As is this conversation. What's done is done."

Landry eyed the man for a moment. "And it will be undone."

Victor snickered. "You can't blackmail us with possession of the stargate anymore. We no longer need it."

"Who's we?" Kelly demanded.

Victor smiled. "If you don't already know, then I'm certainly not going to fill in the blanks for you."

"Try filling in this blank…" Landry said coldly. "What happens when the Jaffa take Osser away from you, because, if you didn't already know, that's exactly what they're threatening to do if Earth doesn't take care of this itself."

Victor's eyes narrowed. "They wouldn't dare. We'd cut off their supply of Tretonin."

"I'm not talking about those Jaffa…I'm talking about Dakara."

"They're threatening us?" Victor asked, disbelievingly.

"Warning us," Landry corrected. "And they did us a favor by talking to us first, because even they thought forced labor was a bit out of our character."

"Forced labor?!" VanMeter exclaimed.

"Communism 101," Landry remarked. "Now being exported to the stars."

"That CANNOT be allowed to happen," she angrily yelled at Victor as she stood up.

"It's already begun," the smug Brit reminded her as he too stood. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I assume your government will be demanding a meeting with the full I.O.A. council. Seeing as how I'm on that council, I best be departing immediately."

Victor tried to walk out from behind his desk and pass by Landry but the General had other plans.

"Sergeant!"

Three uniformed guards stepped into view from the hallway. Upon seeing them Victor spun around. "You have no right to hold me in confinement. I have to get to Paris to meet with the rest of the council."

"Oh, we're not confining you," Landry assured him as the guards firmly grasped the man's arms. "But you will be riding to Paris with us," he said without any trace of humor. "Until then you'll have plenty of time to pack," he said, motioning for the guards to take him back to his quarters, where he was going to be put under house arrest.

"General," Kelly pleaded with him, "I had no idea any of this was going on."

"I believe you, for no other fact than I'd doubt the I.O.A. would try circumventing the US and informing us of it at the same time…but then again, I'm not the one that needs convincing. You'll have to explain yourself to General O'Neill when he arrives."

"Why is he coming here?" she asked, assuming he'd be headed to Paris as well.

"He wants to talk to SG-1 first, so you'll have a brief opportunity to plead your case to him. In the mean time, you're confined to the base."

"I object to being treated like a traitor…but I understand your need for security. I won't cause a problem."

"Good," Landry said, leaving Victor's office more mad than he had been upon entering.

* * *

Two days later the I.O.A. leading council convened in their headquarters in Paris at the request of the United States government. Cleared of any wrongdoing, VanMeter and a handful of other American I.O.A. personnel had accompanied General O'Neill to the meeting, as had the US Secretary of State, but it was Jack that stood before the I.O.A. to hold their feet to the fire.

"Miss Shen," he began, his tone appropriately irreverent, "is there something your government would like to tell us…or do I have to start dragging out the line of witnesses?"

The lead Chinese representative on the I.O.A. let his words hang in the air for a moment. "I don't believe that will be necessary, though I wonder what witnesses you're referring to. I believe every member of this council, including Mr. Coolidge, is already aware of our offworld operations on the planet Osser. I am surprised that he didn't inform your government of the situation."

"Funny, him not being here," O'Neill said in response to her backhanded admission. "Seems he's dropped off the face of the planet."

"We are hardly responsible if you can't keep track of your own people, General," Shen replied.

O'Neill dropped the sarcasm…for once. "All offworld operations are supposed to be under the supervision of Homeworld Security, for the explicit reason that we can't have one nation starting a war that this whole planet will be force to fight…which is exactly what you have done. The Jaffa are fit to be tied that we're taking up where the Goa'uld left off, and the Tok'ra can't be too happy that we knowingly entered into a treaty that we were in violation of the moment we signed."

"The I.O.A.," Victor stated smoothly, "will defend its assets against alien incursion without relying on the US military. We are not, therefore, drawing you into a confrontation. If the Jaffa, Tok'ra, or others do not recognize the legitimacy of our offworld expansion, then that is unfortunate, but given our level of available technology it would be foolish for them to challenge us."

"I don't think you're hearing what I'm saying," O'Neill said, his sarcasm back. "We don't care. You broke god knows how many treaties _and_ you stabbed us in the back. And you're nuts if you think we're just going to sit back and take it."

"Short of going to war, what are you inferring?" Shen asked.

"That one's not off the table…" O'Neill threatened.

The Secretary of State walked up to the dais next to Jack. "If you do not immediately cease all unsanctioned offworld activities, the United States of America will enact a form of economic warfare that will be just as devastating, if not more so than a military engagement."

All the I.O.A. representatives seemed a bit shaken at that possibility…except Shen.

"Furthermore," the Secretary of State added. "The I.O.A. must disband immediately, given that it clearly can't obey the tenets of international law, nor recognize the sanctity of treaties."

"That is not going to happen," the Russian representative, Dr. Harkovli, declared firmly. "The time of the United States' government dictating to us what we can and cannot do offworld is past. The organizational structure of the I.O.A. is necessary to ensure equity in Earth's relations with other worlds. We admit that what the Chinese government has done on Osser steps over the line, and they should be held accountable, but the I.O.A. will not be disbanded."

Shen turned to her right and glared at the Russian. "Easy for you to say, when it wasn't your colony that was discovered. I think it is time we revealed all of our involvement in offworld activities before this meeting goes any further."

She turned back to address O'Neill while the other representatives squirmed in their seats. "Every nation represented here has established offworld colonies under the supervision of the I.O.A. The Jaffa only discovered one of many worlds which have been added to Earth's collective holdings…including your few worlds, which I believe you refer to as the Alpha, Beta, Gamma sites, etc."

O'Neill exchanged glances with the US delegation. None of them had expected this.

"Group conspiracies don't legitimize what you've done, and our position stands," O'neill said firmly. "You will evacuate your unsanctioned, undeclared colonies at once or we will begin making your lives hell down here on Earth."

The Secretary of State cringed at that last remark, but didn't interfere.

"We only excluded the United States from our plans on the recommendation of Mr. Coolidge, who believed that your country wasn't ready to fully commit to an international colonization program," the French representative, Mr. Louvere, said almost pleadingly. "Now that the program has already established itself, I see no reason why the United States cannot join us and expand on your current holdings."

"I agree," Victor chimed in. "The rest of us shouldn't be held responsible for China's misdeeds. They're the only nation that established colonies on inhabited worlds, which makes them the only one in violation of our treaty with the Tok'ra."

"So what?" O'Neill asked, clearly not caring for diplomatic protocol. "You want us to just forgive and forget? Are you nuts?!"

"Perhaps we did act inappropriately," Louvere admitted, "but so has the United States in the past, and you were not forced to cede possession of the stargate. France is willing to make concessions, and if necessary abandon some of our offworld holdings in penance for the agreements which we freely signed into and then broke…but I would argue that banning us from offworld expansion is a punishment not fitting the crime."

"You admit to crime as if the United States is judge and jury," Shen spat. "We have no need to answer to them."

"We did break several treaties," Harkovli added. "In that much, they are correct."

"Treaties that all the nations here were leveraged into signing," Shen argued, "by the American's possession of the stargate. Now that we no longer require the gate, I see no reason why we should be held to such treaties."

"General O'Neill is correct," Mrs. Neville, the Canadian representative said, "that the actions of one nation can put the rest in jeopardy. I move that the government of China cede all worlds with an indigenous population back to those populations. We cannot afford to turn our offworld allies into offworld enemies."

"France concurs," Louvere agreed.

The other representatives nodded their agreement, all looking at Shen, but she held her head high in defiance.

"Well?" O'Neill asked her.

"My government expected such spineless supplication to the United States," she said vehemently, "and we're prepared to go it alone if necessary."

"Your actions will put the entire planet at risk!" Louvere argued.

"That would not be a first," Shen said, looking directly at O'Neill.

"Miss Shen," Harkovli said evenly. "It is a safe bet to say, that if China does not cede the worlds in question, then Russia will join the Americans in economic sanctions against your country."

"Do what you will," Shen said dismissively, "but the decision has already been made at the highest level. The answer is NO."


End file.
